


Captured

by PenMelody (Skarmoree)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Hurt/Comfort, Pidge | Katie Holt-centric, pidge is captured by the galra, save pidge save her family save the universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-27
Updated: 2017-04-12
Packaged: 2018-09-27 04:14:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9961607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skarmoree/pseuds/PenMelody
Summary: Pidge doesn't remember how she fell into Galra hands. She guessed it was better that way.She hoped her dad and Matt hadn't had to go through the same pain.





	1. Captured

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted on wattpad @typeclick!

Pidge used to like the colour purple. She used to be rather fond of the bold colour, going as far to decorate her bedroom in various shades of it. The colour used to bring her joy. Now it merely reminded her of the pain and suffering that happened under the rule of the decidedly purple themed Galra.

Purple was everywhere in this place- covering every available wall, floor, or ceiling. Even the lights glowed in such a sinister manner of the same, ugly colour. Pidge hated the lights in particular.

As if the constant glow wasn't bad enough, the lights radiated some sort of energy. Sleep was impossible in these cells as long as the lights were on. The lights were never turned off.

At first she had attempted anyway, fooling herself into believing it was possible. She even went as far to shield her eyes from it with her hands, but the light did more than keep her awake forcefully. They also had some sort of energy sapping quality. After a few days, she could barely move on her own, let alone move enough to block the offending glow. Despite herself, she found it was truly fascinating how the seemingly simple lights worked. But that didn't stop her from hating them.

Pidge shivered, an involuntary movement caused by her current lack of covering. Most of her clothing had been removed during her initial examination, leaving her in a thin singlet and her shorts.

Pidge hated being cold- something she had picked up from Matt, she wondered if he had ever gone through this.

She really hoped that he hadn't.

She was being moved today- the robotic voice of the drone had told her so. She thought it rather polite for telling her, but she still wanted to beat its ass into the harsh, purple flooring of the metal ship.

She wondered if she would be hit today, one of the druids favourite pastimes. They seemed to find glee in watching the red hand prints either fade into nothing or darken into bruises. In this way she could entertain herself for hours on end. It was a rather painful pastime for her victim, but Pidge tried to not let it bother her. She was a Paladin of Voltron, she could handle a few hits.

Her cell door opened and she didn't bother to look up. It would drain her of vital energy she had attempted to conserve. Hands reached out to her and she snarled before biting one of them. Unfortunately the hand belonged to a metal being, and thus produced no results other than pain on her end.

A muzzle was now fixed her face and fact-acting sedative forced into her system. Within seconds she was out, her last thoughts of wrong dosages and how death by sedation would be a very peaceful way to go after all of this.

Fortunately; or unfortunately, depending on the view, the dosage did not kill her.

She awoke in a small tent like structure, bound and still muzzled. She thought morbidly of another situation that her current state of dress pertained too. If she had been able, she would have let out a bitter laugh, she settled for a rather undignified snort. Pidge shifted in an attempt to get more comfortable as another robotic guard entered. She was rather annoyed that they did not think her worthy of a flesh and blood Galra warden. The droid injected another sedative into her arm and Pidge sighed as she felt it taking effect, making her already sluggish body even more difficult to use.

She closed her eyes, praying to all the gods she knew that her team would find her, and rescue her from her own personal, purple hell.


	2. Rescued

Pidge had never felt more alone than she did right now. She had been in isolation for days, her only company being the bugs and parasites she was pretty sure now resided in her dirty, blackened hair. It tickled her shoulders a bit, giving her the impression that she might look a little like Keith. She wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing. She stared again at the dirt beneath her.

Upon their second visit the guards had strung her up like a slaughtered pig. Her arms had long since lost feeling in them from lack of blood. She closed her eyes, attempting to drift back into the comforting break of sleep, where she could escape her mutinous thoughts. Alas it was not meant to be as a rustle from outside drew the attention of her fuzzy brain.

"Hello?"

Pidge just stared at the canvas wall that the voice was coming from. She wished now, more than ever that she hadn't attempted to bite the druid. Then she might be able to respond to the tired, yet curious voice of her older brother. She allowed herself to cry, her whimpers echoing through the silence.

"Shhh, don't cry!" The voice said, mildly bewildered. Pidge sobbed, craving the support of her brother. A brother who didn't even know who she was. She listened as Matt attempted to calm her, even when he didn't know he was talking to. Eventually her tears subsided, leaving her both physically and emotionally exhausted. She slipped into slumber, promises of return visits reaching her before she was pulled into the blissful unawareness of sleep.

As promised, Matt returned. She fought her latest dose of sedative in order to listen to him speak. He rambled about everything; from the weather ("terrible, as always"), to the colour of his uniform ("I look like a bloody grape"). Pidge responded all she could, gentle moans and rustling fabric. It wasn't much, but it was all she could manage with the upped dose of sedative they gave her. She rather thought that the Galra didn't really want to deal with her.

She was merely bait for the other paladins. She tried not to think about anything when Matt talked to her. The dark thoughts could wait for the early morning hours.

She looked forward to Matt's daily visit, and eventually he started bringing his father as well. Pidge cried in joy at the revelation that they were both alive. Matt didn't understand why she sobbed but he did his best to comfort her anyway.

As the days wore on it became harder for Pidge to focus. The lack of food and the excess of medically induced exhaustion took its toll on her. She found that over time the ropes straining to hold her up lost some of their tightness. And she edged closer to the ceiling each day, her weight no longer a problem for the thick Galra strings. She

wondered how much longer she would last.

Matt was talking to her, and something made loud laser like noises in the distance. Matt spoke in hurried tones. Sam listening for any sort of response from within. She was trying really, but nothing was cooperating. She heard footsteps approaching her prison and Matt and Sam gasped. She didn't really have the energy to wonder what was going on.

"I can only fit one more in my lion..." the voice said, sounding pained that it would have to leave some people behind. It was silent for a moment before her family spoke again.

"Take the one in the tent, we don't know how much longer the prisoner will survive." She heard the sounds of a bayard powering up and she smiled. She kept her eyes closed as her prison was slashed apart by her fellow arm of Voltron.

A gasp came from her family, she supposed she must look pretty awful. It was honestly no surprise that Keith no longer recognised her.

"Do you know who they are?" Keith asked, gently getting her free from the restraints. Still she remained still, not even attempting the useless movement in her weakened state. She felt herself being lifted into Keith's arms and she whimpered slightly as her battered body protested. 

"Sorry," Matt said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, "we have no idea."

Keith said nothing and Pidge assumed he must have nodded his understanding.

She tried to hold in her whimpers as she was transported to the ship, making it as easy for Keith as she possibly could. Finally they made it to Red.

Pidge would have cried if she had the energy. Instead she vowed to return for her family, her determination reignited by her last few weeks. She would save them.

She had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos, comment, whatever if you liked it! :D (wow that's so generic and annoying why should I even try to say that It's your choice, right?)
> 
> Anyways, until next time!


	3. Revelations

It was cold. She didn't like cold.

Pidge shivered as she attempted to move through the gel like substance around her, anything to relieve herself of the harsh unforgiving chill of what she was pretty sure must be a healing pod. She needed to get out, to her teammates. She needed to be fixing Green and making plans to save her brother. Not here in the all-encompassing ice of the Altean healing devices. She wanted to get out! She needed to get out! _Out!_

Something hissed and she braced herself for the impact of the harsh, and frosty floor of the infirmary. Why was everything cold? Why couldn't she get warm?

Something must have caught her, because the pain she was expecting didn't come, instead a pair of strong arms lifted her into a semi-standing position. It was rather like a hug, and Pidge found that whatever had grabbed her was not cold. She liked the warm thing.

"My name's Hunk, and I'm a paladin of Voltron;' the warm thing said. 'You've been rescued from the Galra camp, can you tell us your name?"

Pidge attempted to open her eyes, finding that the glowing light reminded her horribly of her time within the purple cells. She whimpered and held on to Hunk. The yellow man hugged her back, noticing the way the prisoners' arms didn't seem to reach all the way around. The sensation was strangely familiar, and Hunk's eyes widened at the revelation.

"Oh lord, Pidge is that you?"

Pidge just hugged him tighter, letting herself fall into a troubled sleep.

Hunk took a moment to steady himself before setting Pidge down on one of the beds in the infirmary. He tried to stay calm as he shook her shoulders, attempting to wake her from a slumber that Hunk was sure would do more harm than good.

"Guys, I need help in the infirmary!" Hunk cried into the coms, noting the feverish warmth to Pidges skin. Gently he grabbed a sponge and began the process of wiping her brow to cool the fever.

The other paladins rushed into the room, bayards drawn. When no danger revealed itself they moved over to Hunk. Coran immediately began a medical examination.

"Is that the unnamed prisoner Keith found?" Shiro asked, moving in order to get a better look. Hunk stared in to Shiro's eyes, hope and anguish filling them.

"Shiro I – I think it's Pidge" Hunk informed, fighting back tears.

A small gasp of shock slipped from Keith's mouth. He hadn't told the paladins how he had found this particular prisoner- it hadn't been important at the time.

He remembered the tent, the dirt and blood. The small body he had found suspended from the ceiling, wrists chaffed and arms pale, unable to support themselves even with Keith's help. He was torn between hope that they had finally found her, and yet he was also tormented by the idea.

He didn't want to believe that the half dead person hanging by their hands was Pidge. He didn't want them to be the same person.

Hunk finished cleaning the face and they all stared in horror as he moved back so they could see her clearly. She looked horrible, and had bruises decorating her face- some old and fading, others new and dark. But there was no denying it any longer. In front them was their youngest teammate, still and unmoving in a deep sleep.

Hunk lifted the sleeping girl into a hug, Lance moving to hold her hand.

"When do you think she'll wake up?" Keith asked, determined that when the time came, he would be there for his teammate, he knew more than the others what she had been subjected to, and he would help her through it.

But Coran sighed as he examined her.

"I'm not sure if she _will_ wake" He admitted, smoothing down some of her now-clean hair. The other paladins nodded, and settled in for a night-long vigil beside her bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, I'm aiming for this to be updated every two-three days, we'll see how that goes.


	4. Awakening

It was warm. That was the first thing that Pidge noticed as her mind tried to slip back into consciousness. The warmth seemed to be heavier around her hand and arm, and a gentle voice spoke in calming, and soothing tones. Yet the words made no sense to her. What were they saying? Where was she? And who was with her?

Her questions remained unanswered as the calm voice lulled her back into nothingness.

When the warmth pulled her out again, someone was singing. It was loud and off key. She wanted to tell them to stop, and that she had a headache. Her attempts were futile. She couldn't seem to form the words. She couldn't find her mouth- it was as if she had forgotten how to speak. The singing stopped suddenly and warmth once again encased her arm. Pidge tried to fight the inevitable, but soon fell back into slumber.

The third time Pidge came to she was in pain. She screamed and she felt something hold her down. She didn't want to be held down! She didn't want to go into the cell again! She struggled and something reached out to touch her cheek. She bit down as hard as she could, causing her would-be attackers to screech as she lost the battle to stay awake.

She was back in the Galra camp, hanging by thick strings she knew all too well. She was waiting for a voice, a voice that kept her sane. But the soothing tones of her brother never came, instead a Galra sentry dragged her family into the tent. She screamed, her father turned to her with sadness and deep disappointment in his eyes.

"...How- how could you.... let this happen... Katie?" he pleaded, every word a struggle. "Why didn't you-- rescue... us?"

The light faded from his eyes, still staring blankly at Pidge. She tried to scream as he fell down, crumpling to the ground with a strangled gurgling. She tore her eyes from his body to only catch the glare from Matt. Her brother's accusing stare burned through her, blaming her for everything that had happened.

It wasn't her fault.

And yet her brother's glare didn't let up, even as his body collapsed underneath him, and he too fell down.

Dead.

"No! No I'm- I'm sorry!" She sobbed, she wanted to close her eyes, to look away from the horrible scene in front of her. But she couldn't tear her eyes away, and she continued to sob as the image of her brother and father dead at her feet burned itself into her brain.

Her return to consciousness was sudden, and she gasped as she emerged from what felt to be a deep lake. She lay there, eyes closed panting for oxygen. A voice called out to her and she sobbed.

"No, no more" She whimpered. Someone brushed her hair back and she sighed as she drifted once again into a fitful sleep.

When she woke again the lights seemed dimmer, but she still refused to open her eyes. She wouldn't let the Galra win. She would not open her eyes to their horrible light. Determined, she slipped back into the bliss of sleep.

Someone was stroking her cheek gently, callouses disrupting the natural smoothness to the warm skin. She liked the hand, it was big, and it made her feel safe. She didn't want them to stop. She tried to see who it was but only managed to move her head closer to the warm hand.

Someone shouted and she mourned the loss of the warmth as the blackness pulled her under once more.

She was too hot, she felt sticky. Pidge liked warm, but this was unbearable. She felt as if she was burning. The heat on her skin reminding her horribly of the Galran camp. She didn't want to be at the camp. The camp was bad.

She squirmed and something cooler than her skin dripped down her face. She realised she was crying. She flinched as something wiped away the tears but then leaned in to the warm touch that she liked. The hand was smaller than last time, and the skin held no callouses, but it had the same gentleness. The hand pulled her into a sitting position and she felt herself being hugged. She liked the feeling.

She let herself slip into sleep once more.

She was tired, and she wanted nothing more than to slip back into the forced unconsciousness she had been enduring for days now. But something was annoying her. A hand grasped hers tightly. It was too tight. She tried to pull her hand away, but she didn't know if it had worked.

"Pidge? Are you with me?" someone asked. She frowned. Who was Pidge? Was that her? She thought maybe it was, the named seem familiar.

"Pidge, it's Keith. Can you hear me?" She knew that name, it made her think about red. She liked that colour, so far from the purple that seemed to surround her even in her dreams. She pictured a mullet and felt her lips move into an involuntary smile. Something grabbed her hand and she attempted to squeeze it. The man called Keith squeezed back.

When she awoke again, her mind seemed a little clearer. She could hear the gentle rustle of fabric as someone straightened her sheets. The rustling stopped and Pidge strained to listen as the person moved beside her. The person ran a hand through her matted hair and she leaned into the touch. The person gasped, but didn't pull away.

"...H-Hunk." Pidge groaned. The hand stopped and she felt rustling fabric again.

"Yeah it's me little buddy" Hunk replied and Pidge began to open her eyes. The lights continued to glare so she squeezed them shut again.

"Hunk, don't- don't stop..." Pidge pleaded, already feeling her conscience beginning to fade.

"Pidge! Stay with me!" Hunk said quickly, already calling for the other paladins.

She tried, she really did. But it was exhausting.

She slipped back into sleep.

She awoke next to many people talking around her. She let the words wash over her, soothing her frantic mind. She felt Green give her the mental strength to listen to what was being said.

"She was awake! She even said my name." It seemed like she hadn't been out for long. As the paladins were still huffing from their run to the medical bay.

"It's an improvement," another voice answered.

Pidge listened to her team speak, letting their voices wash over her. They kept her awake, washing away the eternal darkness she had come to expect. She was so tired, but this time she was able to stay awake. A hand brushed her hair back and she attempted to lean into the touch. She smiled and attempted to open her eyes but whimpered at the bright lights above her.

"Pidge?" Someone whispered next to her as the others continued their conversation. She squeezed the hand that had grasped hers and felt it stiffen in her hold.

"Guys, I think she's awake again!" A voice she now recognised as Hunk's called. She curled into the warm touch of Hunk, using her other hand to try and hide her eyes from the evil light.

"Pidge can you hear me?" She tried to respond, but she felt herself losing again. She focused on Green's calm as she began to once again slip into dreams.

As the first of the blackness began to creep in, she was forced awake again by the castle alarms.

The Galra had found them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, this train of disaster isn't going to stop anytime soon!


	5. Moments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter is the opposite side of last chapter, from the Paladin's view. Hope you enjoy!

Pidge was very cold. Yet sweat adorned her brow on more occasions than not. She was in a bad way, feverish and unresponsive.

The paladins had stayed beside her bed for a few days, before Allura had forcefully ejected them from the room. Even then, they made sure that someone was beside her at all times. They didn't want her to wake by herself.

Keith especially was against leaving her alone. The others seemed confused by his sudden protective streak, but Keith ignored them, instead spending his time training or holding the unconscious paladin's hand as she slept.

Hunk also spent a lot of time with her, although he often spent the early morning hours with her, before anyone else was awake. But it wasn't uncommon for him to find Shiro there, so Hunk spent a good portion of these visits convincing Shiro to go to bed. Eventually it became routine. Hunk would take over for Shiro, Lance would take over from Hunk. Keith would come sit with her in the late afternoon, and in turn would be replaced by Shiro who stayed there until the early hours of the morning. Hunk would force him to bed and the cycle would continue. Team training stopped for the time being, it didn't feel right without their smallest paladin with them.

Shiro liked to run his flesh arm up and down Pidge's. He remembered Matt doing the same for him once when he had come down with a minor cold on their way to Kerberos. He wasn't sure if Pidge could feel it, but it made him feel better to know he was at least providing some sort of comfort.

Lance often rambled to the sleeping girl, hugging her arms as he told her stories of his family. At one point he remembered a song his mother used to sing. Pidge wasn't the best audience, but Lance sang anyway. If she was awake Pidge probably would have told him to shut up by now.

Keith would be the first to experience one of the green paladin's nightmares. It had been silent in the room, nothing but the gentle hiss of the ventilation.

The peace was interrupted by a piercing scream from the girl in the bed. She had thrashed about and accidentally cut herself on the edge of the bed. He reached out to hold her down, to prevent her from hurting herself further. 

Left with no other options, Pidge (in her deliriousness) had bitten down hard on his arm. He had cried out but held his ground. Keith sighed in relief when he felt her body go slack under him. Gingerly he searched through the cabinets for some antiseptic, bandaging his arm and resuming his post. He was okay, and he didn't blame Pidge at all. None of them knew what she had gone through.

Hunk was the next to experience a nightmare. The girl beside him had woken suddenly, whimpering and curling herself into the fetal position. Hunk had called out to her. But she didn't seem to hear him. He felt his heart break at her whispered words.

"No, no more..." She had sobbed before slipping back into her dreams. He had picked her up and hugged her until Lance had come to swap with him, a steady hand on Hunk's shoulder.

It was a few days later when both Shiro and Hunk were in the room that it seemed that Pidge had a breakthrough. 

Hunk had been watching Pidge intently for the past few minutes, noting the way Pidge's eyelids were twitching ever so slightly. It was the most movement she had made in days. Shiro had come to sit beside him, stroking her cheek in an attempt to gently bring her around. Hunk saw her tilt her head towards him and cried out in joy. Shiro pulled his hand back in shock and Pidge ceased to move.

Lance had once emerged from the room and shot straight into the yellow paladins' arms. He shook with barely restrained emotion as Hunk lead him to the lounge, sitting them both down on the comfortable seating.

"She was crying- she's not even awake. What is she seeing that's making her cry, even as she sleeps?" He had cried out, clutching tighter to his best friend. Hunk merely stroked Lance's back and whispered soothing words to him. They slept in the lounge.

In the end it was Keith who saw Pidge's first smile since her rescue. He had been holding her hand when he had felt it twitch within his grasp.

"Pidge? Are you with me?" she had frowned at the question, giving Keith hope that maybe he was reaching her through her sleep.

"Pidge, it's Keith. Can you hear me?" Nothing had changed but then, ever so slightly, a small smile had stretched across her face and Keith had once again reached for her hand. She squeezed it, Keith barely noticing the added pressure. He squeezed back just as the hand went slack within his.

Hunk had been fixing her bed sheets when it had happened. He had finished his job and moved back up to her head, running a hand through her hair tenderly as she slept. He had gasped when Pidge seemed to lean into the touch, but continued stroking. He didn't want to lose her again, and he knew that somehow, his movement was reaching her.

"...H-hunk?" Hunk froze for a moment before pulling her sheets up a bit.

"Yeah it's me little buddy" Her eyes twitched for a moment as if they were going to open. But then she sighed and leaned her head closer to him.

"Hunk, don't- don't stop..." Hunk immediately resumed his stroking, anything for Pidge.

"Pidge! Stay with me!" Hunk said as he saw her face start to relax. Panicked, he called for the other paladins. He saw her frown one more time before she slipped under again, just as the paladins ran in.

The other paladins took places around her bed, talking of Pidge and her condition.

"She was awake! She even said my name." Hunk had said, his left hand balled into a fist as his right continued to move through Pidge's hair.

"It's an improvement," Shiro agreed. The others continued to speak as Hunk stared into Pidge's face. Her eyelids were twitching again.

"Pidge?" He whispered, gently trying to bring her round. Lance gasped and immediately dropped the hand he had been holding. Hunk assumed that Pidge must have squeezed it.

"Guys, I think she's awake again!" Hunk said. The others crowded around, overjoyed at the possibility that she might be awakening. It was Keith that realised she was slipping out again and squeezed her hand, letting her know that it was okay, and that they would wait for her.

Suddenly the castle alarms went off, shocking everyone into action.

"Lock the doors! Make sure no one can get in!" Shiro ordered before running out to meet Allura on the bridge.

The Galra were here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos, comments, give me something to live off xD  
> (seriously I love y'all)


	6. Determination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I've had a pretty chockers week, so this is late.... sorry!

Her limbs were heavy with sleep, gravity seeming to increase on her already leaden appendages as she groaned quietly at the inconvenient extra weight she was apparently burdened with.

Pidge huffed as she gently rolled her stiff muscles over so that she might lay on her stomach, making it easier to escape the bed that seemed intent to hold her hostage. It went well until she seemed to run out of bed, landing instead on the cold floor. Pidge let out an involuntary whimper as her tender muscles screamed in protest.

She forced pained tears back as she gripped the bed post, pulling herself into a slouched sort-of-upright position. She braced herself before letting go, slowly and carefully moving to the locked door, which she quickly disabled. She used the wall as support to make her way from the infirmary, intent on getting to her teammates.

It was slow going, but she was determined to get to Green.

She debated heading to Green in her barely dressed state- Altean hospital garments being similar to those of Earth. However, she decided that she would rather be late and prepared, rather than on time and dead, making the well worth it detour to her quarters.

It took her a good fifteen minutes to get there, and she had needed to have rest periods throughout. But she forged on, slowly traversing the halls to her waiting lion.

As she got closer, Pidge felt Green's presence strengthen in her mind; filling her with the strength she needed to continue on. When she finally reached Green she jammed her helmet on her head, wincing at the panicked voices of her teammates.

"Hunk, watch out! They're on your tail!"

"Shiro they have a tractor beam! Try to steer clear!"

"Stay out of range, Team!"

"We can do this, stick together!"

Pidge shut them out, focusing instead on righting Green from their brief battle with the edge of the hanger. No more distractions. Listening to her teammates would only make Pidge fly off-course.

Shaking her head in an attempt to clear it, she re-positioned Green, hoping to make it out the hanger without incident on her second attempt. When she finally got out of the Castle, she flicked a switch. Pidge smiled as she felt Green slowly disappearing from sight.

"Woah, I'm caught!"

"Lance! I got you!" Keith called, receiving a thanks in reply

"Shiro! What do we do?"

Pidge tried to call out to them, only producing a scratchy hiss. She raised a hand to her throat, feeling the scared tissue that must have come from the muzzle-like device. She supposed she should be thankful she had a voice it all.

It wasn't painful, and Pidge felt relief at the realisation that the harsh sounds that escaped her throat were probably from lack of use, water, and energy; rather than any injury. Pidge guided her lion to the underside of the ship the rest of Voltron were attacking, noting the identical layout of it to the first Galra warship they had battled. It wouldn't take her long to find the prisoners.

Slowly, Pidge crept about the lower levels of the battle ship, some force within her absolutely certain that her dad and brother were on this ship. It was similar to her connection with the lion, but less "freaky Altean magic", and more "close family bond".

Pidge finally reached her destination, inching forward on her stomach in order to stay out of sight. When the time was right she shot her Bayard, taking out the one guard standing in her way. As she stepped past she noted the blood on the floor, indicating the sentry was an actual Galra rather than the usual robot guard.

Pidge knew she should feel guilty for killing him, but she wasn't. She punched the button that would allow her entry to the cell block. Inside, there were only two doors that were closed, indicating they were occupied. Pidge searched for the control panel she knew would be nearby.

She found it after a moment's search, close to the floor by the door. Rather than bending, she allowed herself to slide down the metal wall, bringing her closer to the panel and also allowing herself a small grace period. It was another moment before she started to hack into the system, and open the first door.

It slid open, revealing a group of mildly shocked prisoners. Among them, standing out the front as if protecting the rest, was her brother.

She watched as Matt stared round the room, trying to locate the one who had opened the doors. She must have blacked out for a second, because the next thing she knew the other door was sliding open due to her falling on the button she had intended to press anyway. Whatever.

"Dad!" Matt yelled, and Pidge forced herself to look up as her brother and father embraced. She tried to stand but ended up flat on the floor.

A strange, blue-tinged alien with an even stranger amount of eyes looking down at her. The alien growled out something that sounded vaguely like English, and Pidge guessed that her translating systems were on the fritz. Either that, or she was too tired to hear it properly.

A hand waved in front of her face, pulling Pidge from her distracted musing; and she smiled under her helmet, grasping for her father's hand.

"You wear the paladin armour." Sam stated, hauling her to her feet. Pidge nodded, unintentionally tightening her grip on Commander Holt's hand as she swayed momentarily.

"Are you alright?" Matt asked, stepping forward to stand beside his father. Pidge nodded, resisting the urge to throw herself into their arms. Despite how much she longed to tell them it was her, she stayed quiet. Reunions would have to wait, she didn't have time. Besides, doing so would waste vital energy. Energy she would need to get them all out of here safely.

She could have an emotional breakdown later, when she finished getting everyone out of this hellish war ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, we're making up for this with a (maybe) double update, depending on how fast I can edit. This hasn't been proofread by me before, unlike the later chapters...


	7. Reunions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm late sorry! Like, SUPER late, this was meant to be a what? week ago? Whoops!
> 
> Updates are gonna be a li'l slower now, but I'm still going to try and keep them common!

Pidge lead the small ragtag group of prisoners through the ship, tracking Hunk's lion. It had the biggest interior, and would hold the largest amount of people. It was in a nearby hanger, the other lions with them, and guarded heavy by the metal soldiers that still haunted her mind. She shuddered, before pulling out her bayard, determined to get to the lions without notifying the flesh and blood soldiers of her presence.

Pidge grabbed two droids and pulled them backwards into the hall, quickly deactivating them- a feat she had learned from extensive study of them whilst captured. It wasn't as if she could forgot the creatures that had made her life hell. She roughly yanked the droid's weapon from the robotic arm it was held by, some small part of her wishing that the robot could feel pain. She succeeded, but overbalanced, falling backwards into a spotted alien with a horn in the centre of his head. 

Pidge vaguely wondered if this was where the unicorn myth had come from, before giving a thankful nod as the much stronger alien righted her. She handed the guns to the alien, who immediately passed them to her father and brother.

Pidge held out a silent hand, clearing her throat as if to speak and frowning when a weak hiss sounded from somewhere near her vocal folds. She furrowed her eyebrows, pouting and unintentionally ruining the intimidating vibe she was giving off. Grumpily she turned back to the door, activating her bayard and jumping into the group. She swiftly decapitated one Galra, swinging the gun it attempted to fire around so it could shoot another one. With only one Galra left she threw herself on top of it, shoving her bayard through its heart. The watching aliens were stunned at the efficiency of the much smaller creature in front of them. But again Pidge ruined the moment by rolling off her enemy and groaning loudly. 

The prisoners stepped into the room, glancing about wearily for a few moments before moving to help their saviour. Sam and Matt brought up the front and rear, guns trained on the door they had just come through. Pidge accepted the help of the now familiar many-eyed alien, wincing as she was hauled to her feet. Gently she waved a hand towards Yellow.

"Your lion shouldn't us use?" the unicorn alien mumbled, words muffled and mixed by her glitched translator.

"It looks like the Yellow lion is bigger." Sam observed, looking to Pidge for confirmation, she nodded, glad that someone had caught on to her idea. She wasn't in the mood to play charades. 

The prisoners moved closer to the lion, and Pidge hoped desperately that the lion would accept these people. She knew that the lions were similar to themselves, and hunk would have no qualms with rescuing these people. Besides, the yellow lion had better defence, and she wanted the prisoners to be safe. But most importantly she wanted her family to be safe.

She left the prisoners in the capable paws of the Yellow lion, which had mercifully allowed them entry.

Now she needed to find her team.

She turned her transmitter on carefully, listening as the other paladins spoke in hushed tones.

"How are we going to get out?" Hunk said, worry and anxiety filling his slightly trembling voice.

"We'll think of something." Shiro said firmly. "Pidge needs us to come back." There were muffled sounds of agreement and Pidge smiled as she managed to lock their location on her small data pad, tracking their online communicators. She was touched at her team's concern- it was nice to know that they were worried for her. Though she hoped she wouldn't get shouted at later for this.

It took several tense, excruciating minutes of painfully slow movement for Pidge to reach the room the other paladins seemed to be located in. Again, the area was surrounded by guards, although they seemed to be more focused on watching for intruders rather than keeping an eye on the prisoners. Pidge smiled. She could use that to her advantage.

Pidge backed up, hoping that the Galran war ship had some sort of ventilation system, if she could only get behind the guards. It was then that she spotted it. The air vents that she loved. 

She took a moment to hastily formulate the rest of her half-baked plan as she climbed into the vents. She needed to unlock the doors, and draw attention away from them so they could get out. It was a cruddy plan, and the chances of it actually working without error were slim, but that was odds she was willing to face if it meant protecting her team. She dropped quietly from the air vents, landing behind the Galra soldiers. She only had a few seconds to unlock the door and then get out before they noticed what she had done.

Quickly she activated her bayard and jammed it into the control panel. It spit out a few sparks and she quickly sprinted as fast as her aching body could take her through the crowd of Galra. She heard exclamations of surprise and wonder from her comm link before she was distracted by the small army of oversized purple kittens. 

Her bayard made sharp whistling noises as it cut quickly through the air, and a Galra soldier's chest. Blood sprayed and she shrieked in both disgust and guilt, before jumping at another Galra who had tried to come at her from behind. She really hadn't thought this part of the plan through. She realised this just as a third Galra soldier managed to tackle her and pin her to the floor. 

The other paladins were yet to see her, as they had now joined the fight, making steady progress towards the hanger doors where they could feel their lions. Pidge suddenly realised that hers was on the other side of the ship, closer to the prisoner's bay. She also realised that she could do nothing to stop the sharp claws that were about to pierce her head. She stilled as she heard the sound of a gun firing, relieved when she turned to see Matt holding the stolen droid weapon.

She jumped up quickly, giving a nod of thanks before grabbing his arm and dragging him back down the hallway and into the now crowded hanger. Together they took down soldiers, helped by the prisoners who had been freed earlier. When there was only a few left she turned to her brother and pointed at the lions and then back the way they had come.

"Your lion is somewhere else on the ship?" He confirmed and Pidge nodded, already heading towards the exit. Matt looked like he wanted to follow, but seemed to decide else-wise as he looked back at the still fighting prisoners.

"Go," he said "be safe." 

Matt jumped back into the fray, causing Pidge to smile at his choice to stay and protect. 

She was glad that the Galra had not managed to take that trait from him. It gave her hope.

Hope that someday everything would be okay.


	8. Self Hatred

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ehh, two more to go after this  
> also I am really bad at deadlines, soz.

Pidge sighed and jogged slowly from the room. She needed to stay awake, just a little longer, and then she could sleep. The race back to her lion was mercifully peaceful, all the Galra ships focused on the fight.

"Almost there, team! Only a few more to go."

"Their engines are down Shiro, and the prisoners I found in the hanger are loaded into my lion," Hunk's mildly panicked voice called. "We can leave whenever you're ready!"

"Take that! You see that Keith? Betcha can't do that!"

"Already did it, and with more skill" Keith responded back. Lance went to argue but was promptly shushed by Shiro.

Pidge attempted to laugh, but it came out breathless and raspy, the sound barely there at all.

"Woah did you guys hear that?"

"Yeah, I did, Hunk buddy."

"Was that-?"

"Pidge? Is that you? Are you on the ship?"

Pidge finally reached the cockpit of her lion, and flying top speed from her previously made hole. The other paladins continued to call for her, and her lion let out a loud roar.

"Green!" Several voices shouted at once, relief evident in the voices of her teammates. Pidge smiled, watching as the faces of her teammates came into view. Unfortunately she was unable to turn her comms on fully, voice activation being key to bring up the holo screen. She would have to fix that later, and make sure there was a non-vocal way of starting up the video feed.

Green flew slowly, barely moving at all as Pidge struggled to pilot her. She was just so tired.

"Pidge! Look out!""

Pidge jumped to attention from her slumped position on the controls just in time to remove herself from the way of an incoming asteroid. The small hit of adrenaline allowing her to remain focused for the rest of the short flight to the hanger.

She groaned as her exhaustion came back to hit her at full force, almost causing her to crumple to the floor right then and there. Her hanger was the farthest from the common area; but luckily she knew a shortcut. Green lifted herself closer to the roof, allowing Pidge to practically step into the Castle's ventilation system.

Pidge loved the air vents, and the best thing about them? They were slippery, and if she removed her over armour, the paladin flight suit slipped easily on the smooth metal. It made travelling almost like sliding on a long, alien slide.

Despite her quick progress, it would appear that she was the last to reach the commons, as she could hear the voices of the other paladins and the prisoners from beneath her.

"Shiro!" came the muffled shout and Pidge watched as her brother, father, and Shiro came together in a tight hug. Hunk crying as he watched the heart-warming scene unfold. Pidge stayed out of sight, not interrupting the renunion. How could she face them, covered in the blood of all those she had killed today? How would they live with her, when she couldn't even begin to live with herself after what she had done?

It was Keith that noticed her first, and reached up to help her down. She grasped the strong hand, trying not to notice the questioning gaze of the red paladin. It was a colour that was more fitted to her at the present moment, the colour painted all over her body.

Instead, she fell into his arms, allowing the bewildered Keith to hold her weight. Said teen shot a desperate look to Hunk, who was still watching the interaction between the Holts and Shiro. Almost as if sensing Keith's eyes, he turned, concern blossoming as he spotted the completely limp green paladin. Hunk tapped Lance and the shoulder, alerting him to the situation. Together they stepped forward to help Pidge who seemed to be going into shock.

"Let's get her to the kitchen," Hunk whispered, noticing the young girl's chapped lips. "She needs to drink something."

Once in the kitchen, Hunk held a full glass out to Pidge, who stared at it blankly.

"Guys, what do we do?" Lance said, gently rubbing the unresponsive girls' hands with his own.

"I'll get the princess, she'll know what to do." Keith said, not wanting to break Shiro away from the rest of the Kerberos crew.

He returned with Allura and Coran, who both knelt down and completed the semi-circle barrier that surrounded the green paladin. Pidge just stared down at her hands, seeing the faces of the Galra soldiers she had killed today. Lance followed her gaze and noted the splattered blood.

Gently he grabbed her hands, wetting his sleeve with the glass of water and beginning to wipe some of the blood from the other girls' arms.

"I'll get more water." Allura whispered, standing up and filling a bowl.

Together they slowly wiped the blood from her hands, arms, and suit, leaving only the blood on her face. Pidge began to focus on them individually, her eyes finally meeting with those of her teammates. She followed Coran's hand as it moved towards her face, flinching when the wet cloth touched her cheeks. She seemed to relax after a few moments, before her body seemed to catch up to her mind.

Pidge shuddered and gagged as the faces of those she killed flashed through her mind. The Galra outside the prisoner bay, the three in the hanger, all the ones she had killed while escaping. She saw again the blood of the first Galra, spraying from the wound she had given him. She wondered if he had a family. A family she had torn apart in order to get her own. An eye for an eye, but it didn't seem justified.

Pidge had finally succeeded in her goal. She had rescued her father and brother, yet she didn't want to see them. She was not the daughter they remembered. She didn't even go by the name they remembered. She wasn't worthy to be called their family.

Lance handed her water and she reached out to grasp it, but lance helped guide it too her lips. She supposed it was for the best, her hands were shaking enough to slosh the liquid over the sides. Greedily she gulped it down, wanting nothing more than to drown herself in the liquid. Gently, squeaks drew her eyes from the cup and into her lap, where the mice sat attempting to get her attention. When she reached out to them she paused, seeing blood that wasn't actually there splattered across her hand.

"Wh- why are you helping me? I'm a monster" She managed to breathe, before her hands dropped down again. She heard her team talking to her, and the sound of a shocked yell before she drifted into sleep.


	9. Comfort

Pidge seemed to be awakening, and subsequently falling asleep more often than usual these days. Even as she lay there pondering this, she wanted to go back to sleep. Sleep was blissful, and dreams were sweet. Reality was harsh and guilt threatened to crush her under its enormous weight. Yet awaken she did, coming around and finding herself in her own room, where a glass of water sat next to a gently snoring Lance.

Pidge smiled, she was pretty sure that Lance had intended to be there when she woke up. She wondered how long he had been sitting there if he had managed to fall asleep. The answer caused her to frown. She must have been out for a while.

Silently, Pidge slipped from the bed, being careful to not disturb the blue paladin as she opened the door and stepped out into the hall.

It was silent, the castle plunged in darkness due to the late hour. Pidge hurried forward, making her way to the light of the kitchen, where nourishing food goo waited for her. It had been so long since she had eaten.

Pidge rushed into the kitchen, already midway to the goo machine when she noticed the room's other occupant. She turned to look at him and blushed at the intensity of his gaze.

"Lance fell asleep, didn't he?" Keith deadpanned, causing Pidge to smile again. Keith felt his lips twitch upwards at the gesture. It had been so long since he had seen that last.

"...Yeah." She whispered hoarsely, and Keith nudged the untouched glass of water in front of him towards her. She eyed it, remembering the glass by her bedside from Lance. She had ignored it in favour of food, but she was parched nonetheless.

Pidge sat down beside him, greedily gulping down the glass, savouring the taste of the liquid in her dry mouth. As soon as she set it down, Keith grabbed the now empty glass and refilled it for her. Pidge tried to protest, but grabbed it from his hands and downed the contents once more.

"Are you okay?" Keith asked when she had slowed down her drinking enough to hold a conversation.

"I've... been better." she supplied, dropping her head into folded arms on the table.

"Shiro says not to ask you anything about the other day;" Keith said, staring at Pidge's long tousled hair. He watched as Pidge reached up to tug it out of the way before continuing. "But I don't think keeping secrets helps anyone."

"It's not really something I want to talk about." Pidge replied hesitantly, turning to stare at the cabinet. She didnt want to see the pity that she knew was in Keith's eyes.

"No one blames you for killing someone. We'd all have done the same." Keith said slowly, unsure of himself.

"I rescued you from the camp. I know more than the others about what you went through. And I--" he paused, reaching into the cabinet to pull out a second glass. He filled this with water in silence, before taking a long sip, trying to put his thoughts into words.

"I just want you to know that we're here. If you want- if you _need_ to talk." Keith had never been a people person, but if Pidge needed his support he would try, because that's what friends- no, _family_ was for.

Keith barely registered Pidge moving before he found himself wrapped in a tight hug from the tiny green paladin.

"Thank you." She whispered, and Keith tightened his hold. He decided that having Pidge in his arms assured him that she was still there- alive in the Castle of Lions. Pidge, too, found the embrace to be comforting, and tucked her chin into his chest.

"You're welcome." He replied quietly, rubbing her back in soothing circles.

When they had both finished embracing, they pulled apart, Pidge tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear with an annoyed grimace.

"You should take a shower." Keith said awkwardly, staring at her tangled hair again.

"Why? Do I smell like nunville?" Pidge asked playfully. Keith nodded seriously, and she felt her cheeks darkening.

"Oh..." She whispered, nodding in agreement. She turned on her heel and was about to leave the room when she remembered that Lance was currently asleep in her room.

"I don't wanna disturb Lance," Pidge mumbled. "I'd prefer if he stayed asleep right now..."

"You can use mine, then." Keith said, and Pidge nodded again, letting Keith lead her from the kitchen and into his quarters.

When she had finished, Keith presented her with her clothes and a promise that it had been Allura that had changed her.

The ship's night cycle had finished and she felt emotionally ready to face the other paladins and her family. Except for one thing.

"Do you want me to cut it for you?" Keith offered as she tugged at her now clean hair. Now that it wasn't tangled like a rat's nest, it reached its complete length- past her shoulders.

" _Please._ " she whined, already sick of the long hair that her younger self had favoured. It just wasn't practical in space, and she had grown accustomed to the short hair that allowed her to attend the Garrison under Iverson's watchful eye.

Keith sat her down on his bed and began to cut, running his knife gently through the locks to thin them and cut them. It made Pidge feel more like herself, yet the guilt that comes with murder still rested on her shoulders, causing her to sigh.

"What is it?" Keith asked, not pausing in his hairdressing.

"I just... don't want anyone to think differently of me." She confessed, slouching a little as the words came out.

"They won't." Keith assured. Pidge was surprised by his answer. It sounded so confident. Firm. Certain.

Keith announced her hair done and she turned to face him, crossing her legs in front of her.

"How are you so sure?" She asked, staring at Keith in confusion with owlish eyes. He noticed she wasn't wearing her glasses. In fact, she hadn't worn them at all for a while.

"They won't see a murderer when they look at you Pidge, because you're not. They'll just see Pidge." Keith said, struggling to find the words he needed to say to get her to understand. "I mean- that's all I see, so I know they will too."

Pidge said nothing, her face skeptical. Keith sighed, standing from his position and leading her to the Bridge.

He asked Coran to patch a message through and called for the other paladins and the Princess, Pidge protesting in the background all the while. Keith was never good with words, but the rest of the team could help him. He knew they would, just as they had done in the past.

Because Pidge needed help, and everybody aboard this ship would enter hell for her.


	10. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO LATE AND SORRY
> 
> I had an excursion on the Monday so it COMPLETELY slipped my mind! -_-;  
> But hey! Here I am!
> 
> FINAL CHAPTER WHOO

Pidge tried to hold back tears as the other paladins arrived, Shiro bringing with him her father and brother.

"I don't know about Mrs Holt--"

"Coleen son, she hates formalities." Sam grimaced as Matt nodded along from beside Shiro. Said boy was as close to his teammate as it was physically possible to be without actually touching him.

"Coleen;" Shiro corrected himself, before forging on.

"but Katie is..." Here he trailed off, looking over to Pidge, still huddled in Keith's arms, who was beginning to look just a little uncomfortable with the situation. 

Shiro wondered how long their youngest two paladins had been up, and if Keith had even attempted to sleep in the first place. Somehow, Shiro didn't think so. Then again, no one really had a normal sleep cycle on the ship anyway, and he himself couldn't really talk.

Hunk stepped up and gently pulled Pidge from Keith's arms, allowing the girl to hide her face as he folded his arms around her. After all, he prided himself of being the team's emotional support- the Leg. Good hugs were just part of the job description.

"Keith? What is it?" Allura asked, furrowing her brows in confusion.

"Pidge needs us," Lance deadpanned, shrugging his shoulders. "and it's not like Keith can help- He's emotionally constipated." 

"Shut your quiznak." Keith growled, folding his arms.

"I don't think you're using that word correctly." Lance retorted. 

Pidge giggled- it was wet sounding and mildly hysterical- but she giggled. Lance beamed, and Hunk gave him an approving look. Pidge pulled back from Hunk's arms, and she turned, freezing at the sight of her brother and father.

Matt stared, forehead creased, trying to remember something long forgotten in his time as a Galra prisoner. He remembered stormy nights, and blanket forts. A small child curled in his arms as thunder roared from outside shaking windows. 

Before he really knew what was happening he was walking forward, staring intently at the green paladin.

"Katie?" He asked cautiously. He wanted to believe it, wanted to believe that his little sister was here, and that it was she that had rescued them. 

Pidge nodded, not breaking eye contact, hands beginning to shake as hope, fear, and self-hatred flickered through her eyes. It was only Lance who noticed the last two. For some reason, Pidge was scared. Lance watched as Matt took a step forward, only for Pidge to take a step back. 

"Katie, what is it?" Sam asked, placing a steadying hand on his confused and hurt son's shoulder. Lance watched as Pidge turned to Keith, who frowned at her. Lance shot the red paladin an angry glare. How dare he make Pidge feel worse than she already did? 

He was about to give him a piece of his mind but Coran gave a minute shake of his head, and Lance closed his mouth.

"Pidge thinks we hate her because of the last mission." Keith explained monotonously.

"What!? But you saved all the prisoners!" Lance shouted, whirling around to face their youngest paladin in disbelief. Pidge seemed to shrink in on herself, shivering as she stared down at the blood that still stained her hands, blood she couldn't seem to wash off. 

A set of hands, one metal and one flesh grabbed hers, covering the blood splotches. She tried to pull away. Why would somebody want to touch her murderous palms?

"Pidge, look at me? Please?" Pidge couldn't bear the sound of Shiro's quiet and pained plea, and complied. 

Her eyes connected with the darker, more haunted pair of her leader's, no words being said as understanding and compassion reflected from them. 

Pidge sank into Shiro's arms, feeling the warmth and love that he seemed to emit from his very core for her- no- for all of them. She felt other arms encircle the pair, joined by a tentative hand on her back. It's presence was familiar from the past hours spent crying into the chest of it's owner.

Pidge raised her head, borrowing strength from her fellow paladins in the group hug, Keith just off to the side, hand firmly between her shoulders. 

Taking a deep breath, she turned to face her brother and father, hanging back from the paladins.

She took a step forward, and her father held his arms up hesitantly, unsure of himself. He had, after all, been gone for quite a while. 

Pidge smiled and threw herself at her father, catching her brother's hand and pulling him into the embrace as well. 

She had finally found her family. 

They were with her. And they would remain with her as she and her second family defended the universe. They would remain with her as they attempted to beat the Galra in the hopes that one day, when the universe no longer needed them, they would be able to return home and reunite with the last piece of her family; so that she could be whole once more. 

Whole, with both her families standing proudly beside her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone who read this, and left kudos and comments! You guys are the best! <3


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